Electric switch unit



v. March 10'. 1925. 1,529,184

D. M. JOHNSTON ELECTRIC SWITCH UNIT Filed March 1, @922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I NVEN TOR.

ATTORNEYS.

March 10. 1925. 1' 1,529,184

D. M. JOHNSTON ELECTRIC SWITCH UNIT Filed March 1, 1922 2 sheets-411m 2 1 N V EN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 10, 1925.

UNITED STATES,

tszaiaa PATENT OFFICE.

DUNCAN M. JOHNSTON, 0F CAMILLUS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNO'R TO BASS 8c SEYMOUR INC OF SOLVAY NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

v ELECTRIC SWITCH UNIT.

Application filed'March 1, 1922'; Sria1"No. 540,198;

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, DUNCAN M. JOHN- STON, a resident of Camillus, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Electric Switch Unit, of which thetollowingis a specification.

This invention has for its 'objecta'switch unit mountable between the base and thecap or rosette of an electric fixture, which cap or rosette is also mountable on the base, whereby the current from the service wires connected to the terminals on the base to the branch wires connected to the terminals on the rosette and hanging pendant from the rose te can be turned on and ofl without disturbing the pendant wires, which unit is particularly simple in construction, is readily interchangeable with the rosette usually mounted on the base, and is readily attached to such rosette, and'further which is highly efiicient and'dura'blein use.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is bad to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views. I I

Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of an electrical fixture embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a plan or face view of the base.

Fig. 3 is a face view of the cap or rosette.

' Figures 4 and 5 are respectively opposite end views of the switch unit.

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional viewon line 66, Fig. 4.

Figure 7 is a vertical sectional viewon line 7 7, Fig. 4, parts being omitted' Figure 8 is a'detail view of one of the terminals of the base andcontiguous parts, one of the terminals of the cap and its contiguous parts and one of the terminals of the insert or unit and connections, theparts being shown as separated.

As will be understood by those skilled in the art, branch circuits are led oif from the main line wires by the use of What" is termed a rosette, which i's'mounted upon a base having terminals -to which the service wires are connected.

The cap or rosette also has wirertermlnals for connection tothe terminals on the base and also for connection to the wires of the branch circuit. The branch circuits usually supply current for pendantlights. I

any suit'ablerform, size and construction, it-

being usually formed of insulation, as porcel'a'in, and having'wire terminals 2, 3 thereon for connection'to the service wires. The base is secured to a wall Oroth'ersuppOrt as an outlet box, inc any suitable manner asby screws'extending through holes 1." The wire terminals 2, 3 'are'here shown as secured by screws 5 extending'through the base from the rear side' thfereof and threading into suchwterminals The terminalsare provided with suitable binding devices as screws 6.

7 isacap or rosette having wire terminals or plates 8, '9' on its inner 'face, a central opening 10 for the outlet "of the'branch circuit wires, and wirer'terminals 11, 12' electrically connected to the terminals-Sand 9. pespfllctively by: suitable conductors or wires The faces of the cap'and rosette are-suitably recessed' to provide cavities for' the variousterminals 'so'that the rosette can be set on the base with its margin engaging the margin ofithe base, or on the switch unit tobe described similarly set'on the base and the rosette on the switch body."

The'switch unit comprises a body 15 of insulation havingan-intetrial cavity 16 and end walls17 18 "substantially closing the ends of the cavity, and switch mechanism located inthe cavity and including operating means extending transversely of the body to theoutside thereof as 'a 'pull'chain 19'; switch contacts "or terminals 20, 21

n'a-ls 2, 3 on the 'base' and the terminals 11,-

121 on the *rose'tte,; and a movable I switch ,member 28 within the body for connecting and disconnecting the terminals 20, 21 of opposite polarity.

The switch terminal is connected to the terminal 24 onthe opposite or upper end of the body by conductors 29, 30, 31, and the switch contact 21 is connected through the wall 18 to the terminal or plate 22 on the opposite or lowerside of such wall 18 by ascrew 23.

The plate 22: is opposed to the terminal 27. This terminal 27 is merely a retainer for the terminal or hook on the cap and .coacts with the plate 22 to' interlock the '1 the blocker body terminal onthe cap in contact with the plate 22.

The switch mechanism maybe of any suitable construction, and as here shown, the switch member 28 is movable about the pin or spindle 34 centrally ottheaxis of imparting a snap actionto the switch.

,- The construction of the switch mechanism at the opposite ends of the body for mechanically connecting the body to the base and mechanically connecting the rosette to the body andj'for electrically connecting the wire terminals 2. 3 on the base of the terminals 24, 25 on the opposite end-of the switch block or body, and electrically connecting the terminals 26, 27 on'the outer end of the switch body to the terminals 11.

12011 the opposing face of the rosette; and

preferably, themechanical means for connecting the switch unit-to the base and to the rosette also electrically connect the conductors and'terminals of the switch body tothe terminalsot the base and rosette In the illustrated embodiment of my invention, this means-operates to connect the switch body to the rosette and the base to the switchbody upon a relative partial turning movement of these parts, as for instance, the body isxattached to the base by a relative turning movement thereof relatively to the base and the rosette is attached to the switch body by a turning movement of the 'rosette' P As here illustrated, the wireterminals2 and 3 on thebase are formed with portions 34, 35 which overhang thelbottom of the recess in the base, and the opposing end ofthe switch body 15 is formed with hookshaped extensions 36, 37 otthe terminals 24, 25 respectively, whichinterlock under said overhanging portions 3 1-, 35 by a partial turning movement of the block.

1, and mechanism for Preferably, between each terminal 2, of the base and the hook 36 or 37, these clips being usually secured to the terminals on the'base, and I tend to snugly hold the parts in engaged relation and prevent any looseness or rattling and compensate for any inequalities in the engaging surfaces of the base and the switch block. T

Likewise, in the illustrated'torm of my invention, the terminals 11 and 12 .on the rosette'are provided with angular or-hookshaped portions 39, 10 arranged to interlock with overhanging portions 41, 4:2 oi? the terminals 26, 27 on the outer end of the switch body 15, and a clip 48 similar to the former clip 38 is associated with tl portion of the terminals 26, 27 overhanging a portion of a recess into which the hooks extend. The/clip 48 associated with the terminal 27 presses the hook-shaped terminal or 40 against the terminal plate 22.

These hooks 39, 40 are also capable of interlocking with the terminals 2, 3 on the base in the same manner as the hook eX-- tensions .36. 37 of the terminals 2d, 25 interlock with the terminals 2, 3 so that the cap is interchangeably mountable either on the outer end of the switchblock or on the basea spring clip 38 is interposed Assuming that the terminal 2 of the base i is engaged throughits clip 38 with hook shaped terminals 37 on the upper end of the switch 'bodvand that terminal 3 on the base is similarly engaged through its clip 38 with hook-shaped terminals 36 on the upper end of the switch body 15; and top plate 22 and terminal 27 are engaged through the clip 48 with the hook-shaped terminals 39 on the rosette and that terminal 26 on the lower end of the switch body 15 is engaged through its clip with the hookshaped te minal 40 on the ,rosctte or cap and that the switch is on.

The current may flow as follows, terminal 2 to the base hook-shaped terminal 37 on the upper end of the switch body. conductor or screw 37 Fig. 8. terminal 26m lower end of switch body clip 48 associated therewith. hook-shaped portion 4.0 of terminal 12 on the rosette through wire 13 to terminal 8 to which one leg of the branch circuit is connected. then through the branch circuit to terminal 9 on the rosette. through wire 14: to terminal 11 and hook 39 thereof on the rosette, and the companion clin 418; Thence. through plate. 22, screw 23,

switch terminal-21 through switch arm 28,

terminal 20. screw 31, conductor 30. screw or conductor '29 to terminal 24, and hookshaped portion 36 thereof. 7 Thence, through companion clipv 38 overhanging end of terminal 3.

The flow of the current and the arrangementof the conductors form no part of this invention, which relates to a switch unit insertable between the ordinary base and cap of an electric fixture and mechanically and electrically connected to the base and cap by relative rotary movements.

What I claim is:

The combination with a base having wire terminals thereon, a cap having branch wire terminals the terminals of the base and the cap being complemental to each other and constructed to interlock upon a partial rotary movement of the cap, to electrically engage said terminals, and to mechanically secure said cap to the base, of a switch unit having terminals at its opposite ends com plemental respectively to the terminals of the base and the cap, and those at one end being arranged to interlock with the base terminals upon a partial rotary movement of the unit, to electrically connect the terminals of the switch unit and the terminals of the base and mechanically secure the switch unit to the base, and the terminals at the other end of the switch unit being constructed to interlock with the terminals of the cap upon a partial relative turning movement to electrically connect the terminals of the unit and the cap, and mechanically secure the cap to the switch unit, whereby the cap is interchangeably mountable on the base and on the switch unit, and the unit is interchangeably mountable on the base with the cap.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, and State of New York, this 21st day of February, 1922.

DUNCAN M. JOHNSTON. 

